Inventor of My Salah Mat Speaks Out on Islam Channel: “These Fakes Are

On a recent episode of Good Morning Salam on Islam Channel, Welsh entrepreneur and inventor Kamal Ali shared an emotional and powerful account of the challenges he has faced with counterfeit versions of his educational prayer mat.

Watch the full interview below.

Kamal, the founder of My Salah Mat, joined the show to discuss why he made a short documentary confronting Islamic shops in East London that were knowingly selling fake versions of his product — despite being warned of the risks.

“We informed them that the product they had was a fake,” Kamal explained. “They said, ‘Sorry, we didn’t know,’ and removed it. But within one week, it was back on the shelf. And this was during the month of Ramadan.”

The counterfeit versions are not only deceptive — they are unsafe. One of them, tested by UK Trading Standards, failed safety checks and was added to a national product recall database.

“It’s not just about business,” Kamal said. “It’s about protecting our children and restoring trust. These products look like mine. They even copied the name — just dropped the word ‘My’. But they haven’t copied the care or intention behind it.”

A Decade of Trust Undermined

Kamal has spent over ten years designing and refining My Salah Mat, a screen-free educational tool now used in over 40 countries by Muslim families, schools, and reverts. Each mat is certified for safety across the UK, EU, US and GCC regions, and includes features such as translated Salah in 10 languages to help children understand what they are reciting.

“We’re a product design company. Every year, we improve the product — adding features that support real learning. We don’t cut corners. These fakes are built with the cheapest materials and no safety testing. They’re not made to last. They’re made to profit.”

“The Human Impact Needed to Be Shown”

After years of quietly dealing with copycats, Kamal said it was the repeated dishonesty of some retailers — particularly near East London Mosque — that pushed him to act.

“This was the first time we made a video. After six years of facing counterfeits, we thought: let’s show the human impact. Not to shame, but to show the emotional toll. The time. The money. The heartbreak.”

The response to the video has been overwhelming. Hundreds of creators reached out, sharing their own experiences of Islamic products, books, and designs being stolen or copied without credit.

“There are Muslim authors whose books were turned into PDFs and circulated online. We’re losing not just business — but the creativity and integrity of our Ummah.”

Kamal used his appearance on the show to urge Muslim businesses and shopkeepers to be more vigilant and ethical in what they sell — and for the community to support verified, original products.

“In the UK, the legal responsibility lies with the shop owner. Even if the product is made overseas, if you’re selling it here — you’re accountable.”

“In Islam too, it’s not permissible to sell fakes. So why are we letting it slide when the victims are Muslim innovators?”

He also encouraged other creators to register their designs and seek protection through legal means.

“We worked with the Patent Office for five years. Alhamdulillah, we now have a granted patent. But even if you don’t get a patent, get your design registered. It gives you protection. It’s your right.”

When asked what motivates him to keep going, Kamal’s answer was simple.

“We don’t do this for anything but to please Allah. Our rizq is written. I just don’t want this to happen to other people. If this helps protect one more child from an unsafe product, or gives another Muslim creator the confidence to build something — it’s worth it.”

The presenter echoed the sentiment: